CONCORD, Mass. – Jay M. Cashman of Quincy Shipyard, LLC is seeking a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District to impact waters of the U.S. in conjunction with dredging in the Fore River in Quincy, Mass.
The proposed work involves dredging a 150-foot by 50-foot area to a depth of approximately 38 feet below the horizontal plane of mean low water. An estimated quantity of 23,000 cubic yards of silt will be removed by mechanical means and disposed of at the Massachusetts Bay Disposal Site. The dredge area is located adjacent to Pier 1 at the Quincy Shipyard, located at 549 South Street in Quincy. The dredging is proposed to accommodate larger vessels with deeper drafts and to match the recent adjacent dredging of the Fore River to an elevation of 38 feet below mean low water.
The dredging portion of the proposed project will impact approximately 7,500 square feet of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) for various species and life stages. Habitat at this site can be described as subtidal silt. Loss of this habitat may adversely affect these species. However, the Corps has made a preliminary determination that the site-specific adverse effect will not be substantial. Further consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service regarding EFH conservation recommendations is being conducted and will be concluded prior to the final permit decision.
The application for the federal permit was filed with the Corps in compliance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which regulates the discharge or fill of material in U.S. waters, including wetlands; with Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, which provides for federal regulation of any work in, or affecting navigable waters of the U.S.; and with Section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act, which regulates the transportation of dredged material for the purpose of ocean disposal.
The public notice, with more specifics on the proposed work, can be viewed on the Corps website at: http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/PublicNotices.aspx.
Public comments on the work proposed by Jay M. Cashman of Quincy Shipyard, LLC (file #NAE-2011-212) should be forwarded no later than Nov. 12, 2015 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division (ATTN: Joshua Helms), 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742-2751. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Joshua Helms at 978-318-8211 or toll free 800-343-4789 or 800-362-4367 (if calling from within Massachusetts) or by email to: joshua.m.helms@usace.army.mil.